Musical instrument



Sept. 14, 1965 c. T. LOWE 3,205,751

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Oct. 22, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.Char/e5 7720/7705 Lowe ATTOR N D.

Sept. 14, 1965 c. T. LOWE 3,205,751

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Oct. 22, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 j z lffilINVENTOR.

C'har/es 7h 0/7706 Lowe BY @MM ATTOR N E\- United States Patent3,205,751 MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Charles Thomas Lowe, 974 Stocker Ave.,Flint, Mich. Filed Oct. 22, 1964, Ser. No. 405,752 19 Claims. (Cl.84-318) This invention relates to improvements in stringed musicalinstruments particularly of the plucked string type.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a stringed musical instrument of the plucked stringtype such, for example, as a banjo which includes means for producing avery wide tone variation.

Second, to provide a musical instrument of this type with the capotastounit which may be very quickly and easily adjusted lengthwise of theneck and without disengagement therefrom and which includes a nutelement operatively associated with at least one of the strings.

Third, to provide a stringed musical instrument with a capotasto unitusing a nut member for one string and an associated fret member andmeans for simultaneously adjusting them to and from use position.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed outin the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a stringed musical instrument of the banjo typeembodying my invention including the capotasto unit which is shown inone position by full lines and other positions by dotted lines.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the body portion of the capotasto unit embodyingmy invention, fingers in grasping position being conventionallyillustrated by dotted lines.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in section on a linecorresponding to line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view corresponding to FIG. 3 with portion of ahand grasping a capotasto unit preliminary to adjustment thereof.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on a linecorresponding to line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary View partially in cross section on a linecorresponding to line 66 of FIG. 1 illustrating details of the postarrangement.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view on a line correponding to line 77of FIGS. 1 and 8.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view on a line corresponding to line 8-8 ofFIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the capotasto unit.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view on a line corresponding to lineill-10 of FIG. 5 with parts being broken away.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view in section on a line corresponding to lineIII--11 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of one of the nut members illustrated inFIG. 6.

It should be understood that in the drawings the applicant hasillustrated some features which are the subject matter of hisapplication for patent, Serial No. 205,268 filed June 26, 1962, and thatsuch structural features are illustrated in this application for thereason that there is a functioning relation between these various partswhich are developments of features of the pending application, beingparticularly true of the capotasto unit as will hereinafter bedescribed.

In the accompanying drawing, FIG. 1 is a plan view of a stringed musicalinstrument of the banjo type, the body 1 being shown conventionally. Theneck 2 is provided with a plurality of frets 3 varyingly spaced as iscommon practice in instruments of this type.

The neck is provided with a fixed or integral head 4 disposed in angularrelation to the neck and is provided with posts 5 conventionallyillustrated. The strings conventionally illustrated are attached to thetailpiece 7, the bridge 81 also being conventionally illustrated.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated further includes fourconventional strings 8, 9, 10 and 11 and a fifth string 12. A separatenut 13 is provided for each string, these having bores 14 through whichthe strings are threaded, the nuts being separately supportedin thebores 15 provided therefor in the neck. The neck is provided with alongitudinally extending series of peg socket recesses 16 disposed belowthe fifth string 12, see FIGS. 7 and 8.

Peg sockets 17 are inserted in the neck. The peg socket members 17 havekeyhole-shaped slots 18 therein and are fixedly secured to the neck bythe screws conventionally illustrated at 19, see FIG. 8. The slots 18are adapted to receive the shank 20 of the adjustable peg 21, the shankhaving a hole 22 therein through which the string 12 is threaded. Theopenings of these socket members are of keyhole shape which enables thepeg to be readily engaged therein and disengaged therefrom. It should beunderstood that the adjustable peg of the fifth string is substantiallythat illustrated in my pending application for patent as is also the nutelement 13.

To provide tone adjustment for the strings 8, 9, 10 and 11, I provide acapotasto unit designated generally by the numeral 23 comprising atubular body member 24 having downwardly, projecting outwardly facinghook-like coupling members 25 at its ends with which the coiled spring26 disposed on the underside of the neck is detachably engaged. Thiscoiled spring 26 is slidable on the underside of the neck and isprovided with a tubular cover. The body member 24 is tubular and isprovided with a fingerpiece 27 at one end which is fixedly securedthereto. At its other end the body member is provided with a secondfingerpiece 28 having an elongated stem 29 slidably supported in thebody member to be reciprocated therein. The stem 29 has a downwardlyfacing recess 30 terminating at its inner end in an outwardly anddownwardly facing cam 31 which coacts with the nut member 32 slidablymounted in the body member for adjustment laterally thereof, that is toand from the neck. The coil spring 33 is supported in thrust engagementwith the stem of the fingerpiece 27 with its other end in thrustengagement with the stern of the second fingerpiece 28, see FIGS. 3, 4,5, 9,10 and 11.

In the embodiment illustrated the fret member 34 is pivotally mounted onthe collar 35 which is mounted on the body member in supported embracingrelation thereto as is most clearly illustrated in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11.The fret member 34, when in use position, is in supported engagementwith the neck as is illustrated, however, when the fingerpieces aregrasped for adjustment of the capotasto unit it is freed. It will benoted that the fret member 34 supports the string 9 so that it is not inengagement with the fret at the front of the capotasto unit. The spring33, when the fingerpieces are released, acts to clamp the string 9 atthe rear of the member 34 against the neck, see FIGS. 5, 10 and 11.

In the embodiment illustrated the fret member 34 is provided with anupwardly projecting tip or nose portion 36 which projects above theneck, see FIGS. 10 and 11, to engage and slide over frets 3 when thecapotasto unit is slidably moved along the neck. The body member, in theembodiment illustrated, has annular grooves 37 and 38 of different depthto receive the strings of varying diameter. It is desired to point outthat it is not necessary that the grooves be annular so far as stringsare concerned but that it is desirable and the strings are notscrapingly engaged in the event the body member is tilted as it is slidalong the neck.

With this arrangement of parts the capotasto unit may be repositionedmerely by grasping the fingerpieces which releases the string 9 andallows the capotasto to be slidably and quickly adjusted along thestrings to the desired position. One advantage of this arrangement isthat the capotasto unit may be adjusted while the instrument is held inplaying position. Another desirable feature is that in combination withthe manually adjustable peg for the string 12 the parts may be adjustedto provide a very Wide variation in tone. There is a substantialimprovement in the capotasto unit over What is disclosed in my aforesaidpending application mainly from the structural and adjustment standpointrather than from tone variation.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a highly practicalembodiment thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe otherembodiments or adaptations as it is believed that this disclosure willenable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as maybe desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto secure by Letters Patent is:

ll. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of frets, a head provided with stringtensioning posts, a plurality of strings, and nut means operativelyassociated with said posts and strings, a capotasto supportedly mountedon said neck for adjustment longitudinally thereof and comprising a bodymember disposed transversely of the neck and above the strings andhaving rearwardly projecting hook-like lugs at its ends disposed at thesides of the neck, a spring disposed with its ends in engagement withsaid hooks and in sliding engagement with said neck and acting to holdsaid body member in its adjusted positions on said neck, said bodymember having a longitudinal bore therethrough, a first fingerpiecehaving a stem disposed in and fixedly secured in said bore at one end ofsaid body member, a second fingerpiece having a stem slidably supportedin the other end of said bore and having a downwardly facing recesstherein conformed to provide a downwardly and laterally facing cam, acoiled spring disposed in said bore in said body member in thrustsupported engagement with said stem of said first fingerpiece and inactuating engagement with the stem of said second fingerpiece, a nutmember slidably mounted in said body member for adjustment laterallythereof and slidably engaging one of the strings and having a camcoacting with said cam of said second fingerpiece, and a fret member forthe string engaged by said nut member mounted on said body member toproject forwardly 'there from and acting to support the string engagedthereby in non-engaging relation to the frets on the neck at the frontthereof.

2. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of frets, a head provided with stringtensioning posts, a plurality of strings, and nut means operativelyassociated with said posts and strings, a capotasto supportedly mountedon said neck for adjustment longitudinally thereof and comprising a bodymember disposed transversely of the neck and above the strings, a springconnected at its ends to said body member and acting to hold said bodymember in its adjust-ed position on said neck, said body member having alongitudinal bore therethrough, a first fingerpiece having a stemdisposed in and fixedly secured in said bore at one end of said bodymember, a second fingerpiece having a stem slidably supported in theother end of said bore and having a downwardly facing recess thereinconformed to provide a downwardly and laterally facing cam, a coiledspring disposed in said bore in said body member in thrust supportedengagement with said stem of said first fingerpiece and in actuatingengagement with the stern of said second fingerpiece, a nut memberslidably mounted in said body member for adjustment laterally thereofand slidably engaging one of the strings and 4- having a cam coactingwith said cam of said second fingerpiece, and 21 fret member for thestring engaged by said nut member mounted on said body member to projectforwardly therefrom and acting to support the string engaged thereby innon-engaging relation to the frets on the neck at the front thereof.

3. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of frets, a plurality of strings, acapotasto supportedly mounted on said neck for adjustment longitudinallythereof and comprising a body member disposed transversely of the neckand above the strings, said body member having a longitudinal boretherein, a first fingerpiece disposed at and supportedly secured to oneend of said body member, a second fingerpiece having a stem slidablysupported in the other end of said bore and having a downwardly facingrecess therein conformed to provide a laterally facing cam, a coiledspring disposed in said bore body member in thrust supported engagementwith said stem of said first fingerpiece and in actuating engagementwith the stem of said second fingerpiece, a nut member slidably mountedin said body member for adjustment laterally thereof and having a camportion with which said cam portion of said second fingerpiece coacts,and a fret member for the string engaged by said nut member mounted onsaid body member to project forwardly therefrom and acting to supportthe string engaged thereby in non-engaging relation to the frets on theneck at the front thereof.

4. A stringed musical instrument of the class described including a neckprovided with a plurality of frets, a plurality of strings, a capotastounit supportedly mounted on said neck for adjustment longitudinallythereof and including a body member disposed transversely of the neckand above the strings and having a relatively fixed fingerpiece at oneend thereof, a second fingerpiece having a stem slidably supported insaid body member and having a downwardly and laterally facing cam, a nutmember mounted in said body member for adjustment laterally thereof withwhich the cam portion of said fingerpiece coacts, 21 fret member for thestring engaged by said nut member mounted on said body member to projecttherefrom in coacting relation to one string, and spring means disposedin said body member and acting to urge said cam to its string engagingposition.

5. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of frets, a plurality of strings, acapotasto supportedly mounted on the neck for adjustment longitudinallythereof and comprising a body member disposed transversely of the neckabove the strings, a first fingerpiece disposed at one end of said bodymember, a second fingerpiece having a cam member which is slidablysupported at the other end of said body member, a spring disposed insaid body member in thrust actuating engagement with said cam member, anut slidably mounted on said body member for adjustment laterallythereof and having a portion with which said cam coacts, and a fretmember for the string engaged by said nut member mounted on said bodymember to project forwardly therefrom and acting to support the stringengaged by said nut member in non-engaging relation to the fret on theneck at the front thereof.

6. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of frets, a plurality of strings, acapotasto supportedly mounted on the neck for adjustment longitudinallythereof and comprising a body member disposed transversely of the neckabove the strings, a first fingerpiece disposed at one end of said bodymember, a second fingerpiece having a cam member which is slidablysupported at the other end of said body member, a spring disposed insaid body member in thrust actuating engagement with said cam member, anut slidably mounted on said body member for adjustment laterallythereof and having a portion with which said cam coacts, and a fretmember for the string engaged by said nut member mounted on said bodymember to project forwardly therefrom.

7. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of frets and a plurality of strings, acapotasto unit supportedly mounted on said neck for adjustmentlongitudinally thereon and comprising a tubular body member disposedtransversely of the neck above the strings, there being an opening insaid body member on its underside above one of the strings, said bodymember having a fixed fingerpiece at one end thereof, a manuallymanipulatable member slidably supported at the other end of said bodymember and including a laterally facing cam, a nut member supportedlymounted on said body member for adjustment laterally thereof and withwhich said cam coacts, a fret member for the string engaged by said nutmember supportedly mounted on said body member and acting to support thestring engaged thereby in noncontacting relation to the frets on theneck at the front thereof, and a spring disposed within said body memberand acting to actuate said nut member.

8. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of frets and a plurality of strings, acapotasto unit supportedly mounted on said neck for adjustmentlongitudinally thereon and comprising a tubular body member disposedtransversely of the neck above the strings, there being an opening insaid body member on its underside above one of the strings, said bodymember having a fixed fingerpiece at one end thereof, a manuallymanipulatable member slidably supported at the other end of said bodymember and including a laterally facing cam, a nut member supportedlymounted on said body member for adjustment laterally thereof and withwhich said cam coacts, a spring disposed within said body member andacting to actuate said nut member, and a fret member for the string withwhich said nut member is operatively associated mounted on said bodymember.

9. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of frets and a plurality of strings, acapotasto supportedly mounted on said neck for adjustment longitudinallythereof and comprising a body member disposed transversely of the neckabove the strings and having a fingerpiece at one end thereof, a cammember adjustably mounted in said body member and provided with afingerpiece at its outer end, a spring disposed in said body member inthrust engagement with said cam member, a string engaging nut mounted onsaid body member for adjustment laterally thereof and having a portionwith which said cam member coacts, and a fret member for the stringengaged by said nut member mounted on said body member to projecttherefrom and acting to support the string engaged by said nut member innoncontacting relation to the neck on the front thereof.

10. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of frets and with a plurality of strings,a capotasto unit supportedly mounted on said neck for adjustmentlongitudinally thereof and comprising a body portion disposed above andtransversely of the strings and having an opening in its undersidedisposed above one of the strings, a manually releasable spring actuatedstring engaging member mounted in said body member to project throughsaid opening and for adjustment laterally of the neck, and a fret memberfor the string with which said string engaging member coacts mounted onsaid body member to support the string engaged by said member innoncontacting relation to the fret on the neck at the front thereof.

11. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of frets and with a plurality of strings,a capotasto unit supportedly mounted on said neck for adjustmentlongitudinally thereof and comprising a body portion disposed above andtransversely of the strings, a manually releasable spring actuatedstring engaging member mounted in said body member for adjustmentlaterally of the neck, and a fret member for the string with which saidstring engaging member coacts mounted on said body member to support thestring engaged by said member in noncontacting relation to the fret onthe neck at the front thereof.

12. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of strings disposed longitudinally of theneck above said frets, a capotasto unit mounted on said neck for manualadjustment longitudinally thereof and comprising a body member disposedtransversely above the strings, spring means acting to hold said bodymember in its adjusted positions on said neck, said body member havingfingerpieces at its ends, one of said fingerpieces being adjustablyengaged with said body member and provided with a cam, a nut member forone string supportedly mounted on said body member for adjustmenttransversely thereof and with which said cam coacts, and a fret memberfor the string with which said nut member coacts supportedly mounted onsaid body member, said body member being adjustable longitudinally ofthe neck by the grasping of said fingerpieces.

13. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of strings disposed longitudinally of theneck above said frets, a capotasto unit mounted on said neck for manualadjustment longitudinally thereof and comprising a body member disposedtransversely above the strings, spring means acting to hold said bodymember in its adjusted positions on said neck, said body member havingfingerpieces at its ends, one of said fingerpieces being adjustablyengaged with said body member and provided with a cam, a nut member forone string supportedly mounted on said body member for adjustmenttransversely thereof and with which said cam coacts, and a fret memberfor the string with which said nut member coacts supportedly mounted onsaid body member.

14. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of strings disposed longitudinally of theneck above said frets, a capotasto unit mounted on said neck foradjustment longitudinally thereof and comprising a body member disposedtransversely above the strings and having fingerpieces at its endsprojecting laterally from the neck so that they may be grasped by a handdisposed below the neck, spring means acting to hold said body member inits adjusted positions on said neck, one of said fingerpieces beingtelescopingly engaged with said body member and being provided with acam, a nut member for one string supportedly mounted on said body memberfor adjustment transversely thereof and with which said cam on saidfingerpiece coacts, and a fret member for the string with which said nutmember coacts supportedly mounted on said body member, said body memberbeing adjustable longitudinally of the neck by grasping saidfingerpieces.

15. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of strings disposed longitudinally of theneck above said frets, a capotasto unit mounted on said neck foradjustment longitudinally thereof and comprising a body member disposedtransversely above the strings and having fingerpieces at its endsprojecting laterally from the neck so that they may be grasped by a handdisposed below the neck, spring means acting to hold said body member inits adjusted positions on said neck, one of said fingerpieces beingtelescopingly engaged with said body member, a nut member for one stringsupportedly mounted on said body member for adjustment transverselthereof and with which said adjustable fingerpiece coacts, and a fretmember for the string with which said nut member coacts supportedlymounted on said body member.

16. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of frets and with a plurality of stringsdisposed longitudinally of the neck above the frets, a capotasto unitmounted on said neck for adjustment longitudinally thereof andcomprising a body member disposed above the strings and havingfingerpieces at its ends, a nut member for one string supportedlymounted on said body member for adjustment transversely thereof, and afret member for the string with which said nut member coacts pivotallymounted on said body member, one of said fingerpieces being springactuated and having means coacting with said nut member for actuating itto string engaging position.

17. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of frets and with a plurality of strings,a capotasto unit slidably mounted on the neck for adjustmentlongitudinally thereof and comprising a body portion disposedtransversely above the neck and the strings for sliding adjustmentlongitudinally thereof, a coil spring disposed on the underside of theneck in slidable engagement therewith and having its ends connected tothe ends of said body member, said spring being provided with a tubularcover, and a fret member for one string pivotally mounted on said bodymember to project forwardly therefrom and having a forwardly projectingupwardly curved portion slidably engageable with the fret as thecapotasto unit is slidably adjusted along the neck.

13. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of frets and 8 with a plurality ofstrings, a capotasto unit slidably mounted on the neck for adjustmentlongitudinally thereof and comprising a body portion disposedtransversely above the neck and the strings for sliding adjustmentlongitudinally thereof, a spring disposed on the underside of the neckin slidable engagement therewith and having its ends connected to theends of said body memher, and 21 fret member for one string pivotallymounted on said body member to project forwardly therefrom and having aforwardly projecting upwardly curved portion slidably engageable withthe fret as the capotasto unit is slidably adjusted along the neck.

19. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising aneck provided with a plurality of frets and with a plurality of strings,a capotasto unit slidably mounted on the. neck for adjustmentlongitudinally thereof and comprising a body portion disposedtransversely above the neck and the strings for sliding adjustmentlongitudinally thereof, a spring disposed on the underside of the neckin slidable engagement therewith and having its ends connected to theends of said body member, and a fret member for one string pivotallymounted on said body member to project forwardly therefrom.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS LEO SMILOW,Primary Examiner.

4. A STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED INCLUDING A NECKPROVIDED WITH A PLURLAITY OF FRETS, A PLURALITY OF STRINGS, A CAPOTASTOUNIT SUPPORTEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID NECK FOR ADJUSTMENT LONGITUDINALLYTHEREOF AND INCLUDING A BODY MEMBER DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY OF THE NECKAND ABOVE THE STRINGS AND HAVING A RELATIVELY FIXED FINGERPIECE AT ONEEND THEREOF, A SECOND FINGERPIECE HAVING A STEM SLIDABLY SUPPORTED INSAID BODY MEMBER AND HAVING A DOWNWARDLY AND LATERALLY FACING CAM, A NUTMEMBER